President: Turkmenistan strengthens overall relations with Iran

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov expressed confidence in strengthening fruitful overall relations with Iran at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Turkmen government said on Friday.

Preparations to hold the seventh specialised exhibition of Iranian goods in the country was discussed at the meeting.

'The President expressed confidence that the exhibition of Iranian products will promote comprehensive strengthening of fruitful Turkmen-Iranian relations based on age old traditions of friendship and good neighbourliness which are of interest to the people of both countries', the statement said.

Berdimuhamedov also noted that the development of mutually beneficial trade and economic relations with Iran is one of the priority areas of intergovernmental cooperation.

The Turkmen leader said that such forums contribute towards expanding the range of productive interaction with partners and encourage investment and promote establishment of new effective business contacts.

Turkmenistan together with Iran carried out a series of large scale projects such as the construction of the Dostluk reservoir, Tejan-Sarahs-Mashhad railroad, interstate gas pipelines and power lines.

At this stage the two countries are implementing the joint North-South railway project with the participation of Kazakhstan. Construction of the railroad is funded by the Asian Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank.

One of the strategic directions is gas cooperation.

The Korpedje-Gurtguyi pipeline starting from the western fields of Turkmenistan was commissioned in December 1995. Starting late December 2009, neighbouring countries opened additional facilities based on the eastern fields of Turkmenistan.